Reviving a Lost Craft, One Willow Basket at a Time.
Mike Lilian is a self-taught basketmaker whose work blends deep historical research with material mastery. Leaving behind his job as a postman, Mike devoted himself to reviving the endangered craft of willow basketry after discovering a single photograph in an encyclopaedia. He taught himself the techniques through books, trial and error, and time spent with Canterbury’s Cooperite community before refining his practice in France at the Coopérative de Vannerie.
Now based on his own willow farm in Kakanui, Mike grows, harvests, and hand-weaves every basket using traditional tools and heritage techniques like fitching. Each piece is a study in precision and patience, shaped by a genuine commitment to preserving this centuries-old craft.
process Mike Lilian
“I had no instruction for the first seven years until I met retired basketmaker David Kelly at the Canterbury A&P Show. He invited me to the Wairarapa to teach me how to weave a French-style chair. I ended up making several hundred of them.”
Mike is a wonderfully talented kind and funny human and, in our opinion, one of Aotearoa’s best willow weavers.
Fitching is a traditional basketmaking technique used to create intricate patterns and textures. It involves weaving narrow strips of material, such as willow, into the basket's surface to strengthen its structure or adorn it with decorative elements.